THE DEVELOPMENT CORRIDOR THE DEVELOPMENT CORRIDOR IN THE WESTERN DESERTIN THE WESTERN DESERT

Opportunities and ChallengesOpportunities and Challenges

An INP PerspectiveAn INP Perspective

ByBy

Ahmad FarahatAhmad Farahat

Development Corridor WorkshopDevelopment Corridor Workshop

Heliopolis Meridian, 23 April 2006Heliopolis Meridian, 23 April 2006

ContentsContents The challengeThe challenge The starting consensusThe starting consensus The central issue of waterThe central issue of water The corridor initiativeThe corridor initiative Legitimate queriesLegitimate queries The Western Desert: Contemporary sceneThe Western Desert: Contemporary scene The Western Desert: Potentials to be confirmedThe Western Desert: Potentials to be confirmed Approaching the problemApproaching the problem Prerequisite considerationsPrerequisite considerations The recommended approachThe recommended approach The Preparatory AssistanceThe Preparatory Assistance The detailed feasibility studyThe detailed feasibility study The ending consensusThe ending consensus

The ChallengeThe Challenge

More than 70 million inhabitants on 5% of More than 70 million inhabitants on 5% of the land.the land.

Urban mass inside the old valley: a bird’s Urban mass inside the old valley: a bird’s eye view.eye view.

A national mass suicide.A national mass suicide. The future is even more grim.The future is even more grim. The land utilization problem: Egypt vs. The land utilization problem: Egypt vs.

JapanJapan Urgent vs. important dilemmaUrgent vs. important dilemma The way out?The way out?

The Starting ConsensusThe Starting Consensus

Mandatory obligationMandatory obligation : :

New settlement outside the old valleyNew settlement outside the old valley

The Central Issue of WaterThe Central Issue of Water

Water and agriculture.Water and agriculture. Water and other economic activities.Water and other economic activities. Is it a water scarcity problem or Is it a water scarcity problem or

water efficiency managerial water efficiency managerial problem?problem?

Nile Basin InitiativeNile Basin Initiative

The Corridor InitiativeThe Corridor Initiative

Al Baz proposal.Al Baz proposal. Rushdi Saieed views.Rushdi Saieed views. The chicken and egg dilemma.The chicken and egg dilemma. Common areas of agreement.Common areas of agreement. The issue will not be settled through The issue will not be settled through

the media.the media. We owe Al Baz a due exploration of We owe Al Baz a due exploration of

his proposal.his proposal.

Legitimate QueriesLegitimate Queries The proposal is a construction or a The proposal is a construction or a

development scheme ?development scheme ? Infrastructure projects: are they prerequisite Infrastructure projects: are they prerequisite

or corollary of development.or corollary of development. Complementary or competitive modes of Complementary or competitive modes of

transport ?transport ? How can the project attract real settlements How can the project attract real settlements

(services, job opportunities, housing (services, job opportunities, housing affordability, ..etc.)affordability, ..etc.)

Sand dunes?Sand dunes? ……etc.etc.

The Western DesertThe Western DesertThe Contemporary SceneThe Contemporary Scene

On-going projects.On-going projects. Northern Coast Dev. Project. Northern Coast Dev. Project. ToshkiToshki East Aloweinat.East Aloweinat. The New Valley.The New Valley. Abu Tartour.Abu Tartour. Southern Egypt.Southern Egypt. ……

Intermittent attempts.Intermittent attempts. Available but scattered studies.Available but scattered studies. The transport infrastructure.The transport infrastructure.

The Western DesertThe Western DesertThe Contemporary SceneThe Contemporary Scene

South Egypt National ProjectSouth Egypt National Project

((MapMap))

The Western DesertThe Western DesertThe Contemporary SceneThe Contemporary Scene

Road projectsRoad projectsRoadRoadKmKmTypeTypeCostCost

((L.E.milL.E.mil).).

Paris-Darb Arbaeen 300Paris-Darb Arbaeen 300newnew90902002-20072002-2007Sewa-GaghboubSewa-Gaghboub100100newnew1001002002-20072002-2007

Kastal-Wadi HalfaKastal-Wadi Halfa3232newnew35352004-20052004-2005

In addition to :In addition to : Borg Arab-Fayoum which is identified as a priority Borg Arab-Fayoum which is identified as a priority

project between Ministries of Defence and project between Ministries of Defence and Transport.Transport.

The Western DesertThe Western DesertPotentials to be confirmedPotentials to be confirmed

Underground water.Underground water. Agriculture prospects.Agriculture prospects. Natural gas.Natural gas. Industrial prospects.Industrial prospects. Tourism prospects.Tourism prospects.

Approaching the ProblemApproaching the Problem

The Cabinet directives.The Cabinet directives. Possible approaches.Possible approaches. Bitter experiences.Bitter experiences.

The Recommended ApproachThe Recommended Approach

A STAGED STRATEGYA STAGED STRATEGY

Prerequisite ConsiderationsPrerequisite Considerations

A national consensus.A national consensus. Public-Private Partnership (PPP).Public-Private Partnership (PPP). Civil society involvement.Civil society involvement. A multidisciplinary approach.A multidisciplinary approach. The project cycle paradigm.The project cycle paradigm. So far we are dealing with a CRUDE So far we are dealing with a CRUDE

IDEA.IDEA.

The Recommended ApproachThe Recommended Approach

A staged strategy:A staged strategy:

Stage1:Stage1: Preparatory Assistance.Preparatory Assistance.

Stage2:Stage2: Detailed Feasibility, Detailed Feasibility, including including expensive field expensive field surveys.surveys.

Stage3:Stage3: Phased Implementation.Phased Implementation.

The Preparatory AssistanceThe Preparatory AssistanceMain FeaturesMain Features

Objective:Objective:1. 1. Is the project proposal (idea) promising and Is the project proposal (idea) promising and deserve detailed study?deserve detailed study?If affirmative, then:If affirmative, then:2. 2. Prepare TOR for the envisaged study.Prepare TOR for the envisaged study.

Format:Format:Any applicable format and rules of the UN or the Any applicable format and rules of the UN or the WB.WB.

Duration:Duration:6 months for objective 1.6 months for objective 1.3 more months for objective 2.3 more months for objective 2.

The Preparatory AssistanceThe Preparatory AssistanceBasic componentsBasic components

Review available studies.Review available studies. Crude mapping of the resource base.Crude mapping of the resource base. Preliminary assessment of the economic aspects Preliminary assessment of the economic aspects

mainly; investments and job opportunities.mainly; investments and job opportunities. Correlation between population growth and urban Correlation between population growth and urban

mass.mass. Population growth and distribution pattern: Population growth and distribution pattern:

business as usual scenario.business as usual scenario. Economic cost of above scenario.Economic cost of above scenario. Soliciting first hand views of the local authorities.Soliciting first hand views of the local authorities. ……etc.etc.

The Preparatory AssistanceThe Preparatory Assistance

The PA document is to be prepared The PA document is to be prepared by Egyptian nationals with possible by Egyptian nationals with possible technical assistance from technical assistance from international agencies.international agencies.

The PA project is to be implemented The PA project is to be implemented by a team of Egyptian experts.by a team of Egyptian experts.

The Detailed Feasibility StudyThe Detailed Feasibility Study

The TOR is to be prepared by The TOR is to be prepared by Egyptian experts with possible Egyptian experts with possible technical assistance from technical assistance from international agencies.international agencies.

The feasibility study per se is to be The feasibility study per se is to be conducted by a well reputed conducted by a well reputed consulting firm to be recruited consulting firm to be recruited according to WB standards.according to WB standards.

The Ending ConsensusThe Ending Consensus

In this workshop we should end up In this workshop we should end up with a clear recommendation of the with a clear recommendation of the roadmap to be followed in dealing roadmap to be followed in dealing with this project proposalwith this project proposal

THANK YOUTHANK YOU